Never makes a water change!!

[mantis]

Met a guy at LFS, very nice he and his wife invited me to see his 135 reef. I just got back, it was simply beautiful. Corals, soft and hard so healthy, fish very few only maybe 5 or 6 small, flame angel largest all beautiful. A few other critters, not many mostly hard and soft corals. Never makes water changes, did not take out any bio balls, adds liquid calcium once every two weeks. Tank has been set up 1 1/2 years made one water change after the cycle that's it. Has 2 Metal halides and 4 36" VHO. Coraline algae everywhere, I was just shocked to see such a beautiful healthy tank and never makes a water change and no problems with Nitrates especially. I have alot to learn, somethings work for some but fail for others.

 

[dad]

he is not alone. i have had my tank set up for over a year now and have never done any water changes! but i do have though a slow nitrate filter.
each tank is different i guess.

 

[@knight]

dad, where on ok are you?

 

[dad]

very south west corner.

 

[mantis]

Dad, I'm still learning about everything don't mean to sound to uninformed, but what is a nitrate filter?

 

[beth]

So explain how a tank can be kept wo ever making a water change? Actually, I have heard of this. Did you ask the LFS owner how he manages that? Dad?

 

[dad]

huumm? it came with my tank but it works just like a septic tank at your house would.
i slowly drip water from my tank into a container that has been seeded with active bacteria.
it then returns to the tank as clean water.
a very simple, non mech filter.
so far it has worked great!
over a year now and no problems.

 

[tanker newbie]

beth with my name as u can tell im no expert, but from what ive heard is that if you have a good skimmer and good filteration (enough to keep the nitrates down) then all you really need is trace elements that you get from waterchanges or as aditives, i think its a nice way to go and i was THINKING about trying it, but first im gonna wait till i get more caulapera in my soon to be sump to bring down the nitrates to 0

 

[dad]

i think newbee is right. i have to add about 1/2 gallon of water a day to my tank because of evaporation.

 

[bobber]

I firmly believe in water changes. I don't mean to rain on everyone's parade. Water changes, even if only done once a month, will benefit the tank greatly. Replacement of trace elements by water changes is far better than additives. Also, corals do not die overnight, and slow deterioration can last for at least 6 months to a year. Any changes made to a tank usually take that long to see any benefits or downfalls from that change. That being said, most times it is too late to help a dying coral because the amount of time required for that change to take place. Water changes help with every aspect of the saltwater inhabitants. Yes the ideal would be no water changes, but IMHO, it is just plain laziness. I hope I am not alone in feeling this way...Bob

 

[botp2k1]

I have to agree with Bobber and others that do change water, I just re-started a tank and committed myself to be more consistant with water changes. Of course though odds are against me from the start, I have a small tank, 29g. In the past, I did not keep up with water changes. It was heavily stocked with fish and corals. In short, did not do so well, but it was not only the lack of changing the water that caused it to fail, there were other things that affected the tank. My opinion is the lack of changing the water played a large part in it.
Now, there are more ways to have a successful reef than one. Some do water changes, others don't, some skim, others don't, etc. The main thing is what works for YOU.
Tanks come in different sizes, different bioloads, from different parts of countries. The original post said the 135g tank had 6 fishes in it. One of my 29 now currently has almost that many.
Part of the fun in the hobby is the variety it offers to everyone.

 

[burnnspy]

I could run my tank without water cahnges since I have zero nitrates and phosphates and a mature system.
This requires the addition of trace elements and vitamins and such. I prefer a small weekly water change to rejuvinate any essential mineral componets in the water instead of adding a chemical soup. It also reduces your interaction with the tank which I feel contradicts the hobby part of the setup and can be disasterous if something goes wrong because it is not monitored as well as it should be.
To each his own.
BurnNSpy

 

[indy1]

I agree with burn. I have a 55g and change 6 gallons every 2 weeks. And add additives on a regular schedule... Like it has been said before. Some things work for some and not others!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

 

[up north hermit]

I agree with everybody!
As has been stated, your system is unique. It is like a fingerprint in its uniqueness!
There is not another one like it on this planet. So no one can tell you exactly what would work for your tank.
With that said, the single most important component of keeping an aquarium (IMO) is CONSISTANCY. STABILITY.
Whatever you do, do it with consistancy. Like don't think, OMG! I haven't done a water change in a month! I'll change 30-40% this weekend because I have some extra time!
Wrong. All wrong. I crashed a tank once with this good intention. I learned a VERY valuable lesson I have never forgotton.
Just my humble .02
Hermit

 

[b_ball12_99]

I don't do water changes. LFS wants me to and everytime something bad happens. I believe I have high phosphates in my well water so water changes = algea outbreaks. I don't put anymore phosphates in it can't get worse.